Speed control for revolving doors and the like



' Now. '11 1924..

1514,85? F. GORMLEY SPEED CONTROL FOR REVOLVING DOORS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 21. 1924 2 Sheets-8heet 1 2 20 EEEJ I F. L. GORMLEY SPEED CONTROL FOR REVOLVING DOORS AND'THE LIKE Filed Jan. 21, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5% W, I H H I L L .31 L

Lawmaker: Franhl. Garmlfig,

Patent Nov. 11, 1924..

. as in CONTROL FOR REVOLVING DOORS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed January 21, 1924. Serial No. 687,581.

To all whom it'may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. GonMLEY, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and in the State of Massachusetts,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speed Controls for Revolving Doors and the like, of which the following is a specification.

Revolving doors and gates are extensively used at the present time and many accidents have been caused by these doors and gates being rotated at an excessive speed.

The object of the present invention is the provision of means whereby the rotation of these doors and gates will be limited to a predetermined speed thereby preventing such accidents.

The invention consists primarily in a governor mechanism which is actuated by the rotation of the doors or gates, permitting said doors and gates to rotate freely until a predetermined speed is reached and then operating brake mechanism which will retard the rotation of said doors and gates and prevent the speed of rotation thereof exceeding a desired limit.

The invention consists of certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be understood readily by reference to the description of the drawings and to theclaiins to be hereinafter given.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one preferred form thereof is illustrated in the drawings, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable results although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can'be variously arranged and organized and the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 represents a planof a door-controlling mechanism embodying the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 represents a vertical section of the same,- on line 2, 2, on Fig. 1, and

Figure 3'represents a transverse vertical section, on line 3, 3, on Fi 1.

Similar characters in icate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawin s.

n the drawings 10 is the spindle of the revolving door 11 which may be of any well known construction, said spindle extending downwardly through the floor boards 12 into a well or pit in which is mounted a bed or support 13 having an upwardly extending boss 14 provided with a cylindrical socket forming a bearing for the reduced lower end 15 of said spindle.

Above the reduced end 15, the spindlelO has a square portion 16 on which is mounted a spur gear'17 adapted to rotate with said spindle.

The bed or support 13 is adapted to be secured in concrete 18 by means of the lag screws 19 and has chambers formed therein, the walls of which extend upwardly to the under face of the floor boards 12 and form a support therefor.

The bed or support 13 also has formed integral therewith, a cylindrical recess 20 provided with an annular lining 21 of hardened material.

Within this recess 20 is disk 22 to which the brake shoes 23 are pivoted at 24:.

The disk 22 is threaded to the shank 25 of the horizontally disposed worm 26 rotatable in bearings 27, 28.

Between one end of the worm 26 and the bearing 28 is an anti-friction device 29 adapted to take up the end thrust of said worm during its rotation.

The worm 26 preferably thread and a steep pitch.

A worm gear 30 meshes with the worm 26 and imparts rotary movement thereto, this gear 30 being threaded to the downwardly extending shank 31 of a pinion32 meshing has a triple with and driven by the gear 17.

The downwardly extending shank 31 has a bearing in the boss 33 forming a part of the bed or support 13.

The pinion. 32 also has an upwardly extending shank 34 the upper end of'whichhas a bearing in the cross bar 35 secured to the upper side wall of the support 13 by means of the screws 36.

Whenever the spindle 10 is rotated by a person moving one of the door sections 11 the gear 17 will rotate the worm 26 through the medium of the gear 30 and pinion 32.

The ratio of the gears 17, 30, 32 and worm 26 is suchthat under all ordinary conditions the revolving door sections 11 will operate in the usual manner without actuating the speed controlling mechanism.

disposed arotatable For instance the mechanism as shown in the drawings will permit the spindle 10 to be rotated fifteen times per minute without rotating the worm 26 at a suflicient speed to cause the brake. shoes 23 to be thrown outwardly about their pivots.

Just as soon, however, as the spindle 10 has imparted thereto more than fifteen revolotions per minute the worm 26 will be rotated at sufiicient speed to cause the shoes 23 to be forced into contact with the inner cylindrical face of the lining 21 thereby causing sufiicient friction to retard the rotation of the disk 22 and thus preventing the door sections 11 being rotated faster than a pre determined speed.

It is obvious that anyone attempting to rush through the revolving door at. any excessive speed will be immediately checked and will be obliged ,to slow up and reduce the speed of the door before he can pass.

As soon as the speed is reduced the shoes 23 will free themselves from engagement with the fixed lining 21 and the door sections 11 may be operated in the usual manner.

By means of this device applied to revolving doors and the like such as gates and turnstiles the speed of rotation thereof may be kept in reasonable limits so that accidents will be reduced to a minimum.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages'ot the invention will be understood clearly from the foregoing without further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1; The combination of the rotatable spindle of a revolving door; a hidden support for said spindle below said door; a member secured to and rotatable with said spindle, said member being located between said support and lower. edge of said door, and a speed controlling device actuated by said member.

2. The combination of the rotatable spindle of a revolving door; a hidden support for said spindle below the door provided with a socket for the reduced lower end of said spindle; a member rotatable with said spindle and positioned above said socket;

and speed controlling mechanism mounted gn' said support and actuated by said mem- 3. The combination of the rotatable spindle of a revolving door; a gear rotatable with said splndle; a worm; means actuated by said gear for rotating said worm; a disk rotatable with said worm; a plurality of brake shoes ivoted to said disk; a nonrevoluble cylindrical member with which said shoes are adapted to coact when said worm exceeds a predetermined speed; and a hidden frame at one end of said spindle forming a support therefor and for said disk, worm and worm rotating means.

one end of said spindle having a cylindrical recess formed therein; a disk in said recess; shoes pivoted thereto adapted to coaet with the Wall of said recess when said disk rotates beyond a predetermined speed; 7

a rotatable worm adapted to drive said disk;

and means interposed between said spindle and worm for rotating the latter.

6. The combination of a rotatable spindle for a revolving door; a support for the lower end of said spindle adapted to be ositioned beneath the boards of a floor and 'aving a chamber therein the walls of which extend u wardly and form a support for said boar s; a rotatable worm in said cham-'- ber; means for imparting rotation to said worm by the rotation of said spindle; and means actuated by said worm for retarding its rotation when a predetermined speed is reached. a

7 The combination of a rotatable spindle for a revolving door; a support for the.

lower end of said spindle adapted to be positioned beneath the boards of a'floor and having chambers. therein the walls of which extend upwardly and form a support for said boards; a rotatable worm in, one of said chambers; a gear rotatable with said spindle; a pinion meshing therewith and having a downwardly extending shank ositioned in a socket in said support and an upwardly extendin shank; a cross plate secured to said wa s and provided with a. bearing for said upwardly extending shank; a worm gear revoluble with said pinion'and meshing with said worm; and means actuated by said worm for retarding its rotation when a predetermined speed is.

reached;

8; The combination of a rotatable spindlefor a revolving door; a support for the lower end of said'spindle adapted to be sitioned beneath the boards of a floor and ving a chamber'therein the walls of which extend upwardly and form a support" for -said boards; a rotatable worm in said chamher; a. gear rotatable with said spindle; a pinion meshing therewith and havin a downwardly extending shank positione in a socket in said support and an upwardly extending shank; a cross plate secured to said walls and provided with a bearing for said upwardly extending shank; a worm gear threaded to the downwardly extending shank of said pinion and meshing with said worm; and means actuated by said worm for retarding its rotation when a predetermined speed is reached.

9. The combination of a rotatable spindle for a revolving door; a' support for one end of saidspindle having'a chamber therein; a rotatable Worm in said chamber; means for imparting rotation to'said worm by the rotation of said spindle; and means within said support actuated by said Worm for retarding its rotation when a predetermined speed is reached.

10. llhe combination of a rotatable spindle for a revolving door; a support for one end of said spindle having a chamber therein; a rotatable worm in said chamber; a gear secured to and rotatable with said spindle; a pinion meshing therewith and having a. shank one end of which is positioned in 'a socket in said support; a cross plate secured to the walls of said support and provided with a bearing for the opposite end of said shank; a worm gear revollrble with said pinion and meshing with said worm; and means actuated by said worm for retarding its rotation when a predetermined speed is reached.

Signed by me at 746 Old South Bldg,

Boston, Massaphusetts, this 17 day of J anuary, 1924.

FRANK L. GORMLEY.

Witnesses: I

WALTER E. 'LoMBARD, NATHAN C. LOMBARD. 

